It's one thing to have an internet connection. And it's another thing to have a fast Internet connection. But what if you can have fast, reliable, and affordable broadband at no initial cost?
In this guide, I’ll be discussing five of the best broadband deals you can get with no setup fee. If you want to enjoy a broadband connection that's higher than the UK average speed of 64Mbps, keep reading this article.
Let's go!
Best Broadband Deals With No Upfront Costs
From watching Netflix to streaming live on Twitch and playing online games, there are many reasons you need a good broadband connection.
In 2019, there were more than 26.5 million Broadband connections all over the United Kingdom. Each one of these broadband connections has its unique payment plans.
A situation where you pay for a broadband connection and don't get the speed you desire doesn't sound like a good idea.
That’s why some broadband deals exist that allow you to try their internet connection without paying any initial fee. Let's take a close look at each one of these broadband connections.
Plusnet Unlimited Fibre
The goal of the Plusnet Unlimited Fibre team is to provide an excellent broadband connection without breaking your bank. That's why they mostly do not charge you a setup fee for their main broadband deals.
Not only is Plusnet one of the best broadband deals with no setup fee, and it's also one of the top connection providers in the United Kingdom. Existing since 1997, Plusnet Unlimited Fibre has constantly provided great value for its users in the UK.
Averagely, you'll get a broadband speed of around 36Mbps with this provider. Plusnet Unlimited Fibre’s owner is BT broadband, but it doesn't operate with the BT brand’s rules.
If you decide to switch between BT broadband and Plusnet, the system recognises you as a new customer, and you’ll enjoy all the discounts.
The monthly costs and deals are usually high for many other brands that offer little to no initial setup cost.
With Plusnet, the cost for your broadband connection remains affordable compared to other brands. You can get broadband deals for as low as £18.99 on Plusnet. Sometimes, you may get cheaper deals depending on the promo options.
Your subscription on Plusnet Unlimited Fibre covers phone line rental. Therefore, you won’t need to bother about phone rental service payments with Plusnet broadband.
Speed isn't a problem as you have three different choices on the Plusnet broadband. You can get either the 10Mb speed, the 36Mb speed, and the 66Mb speed.
As usual, the prices of each available speed choice on the Plusnet network are different. The higher your broadband speed, the higher the cost.
The customer service at Plusnet is one of the reasons it’s one of the best broadband deals with no setup fee.
The customer service base is here in the UK, and they're more than ready to help you with billing costs, tech support, among others.
Plusnet broadband offers you a security guarantee while you surf the web.
The company offers Plusnet Safeguard, a software that helps block dangerous websites. Alternatively, you can upgrade the platform fibre-optic's protection to the Plusnet Protect, which shields you against viruses.
Pros
Contract length of twelve years
Cashback deal of £50 as a reward card
Great routers
No download limits
Cons
On rare occasions, you may need to pay an upfront fee.
Vodafone Superfast 2
Although most people know Vodafone to be a provider of mobile phones, the company is now a major player in the UK broadband market.
The best part is you don’t need to shell out the big bucks to own and connect a Vodafone broadband. In many cases, you don’t need to pay any upfront fee to install the connection.
If you're searching for a broadband connection you can get with no setup fee, Vodafone will give you the best deals. Focusing only on Fibre broadband connections, Vodafone offers you premium broadband speeds with an affordable price tag.
Speed is essential to anyone using the broadband connection in the UK. Thus, the best deals for a broadband connection must offer incredibly fast speeds, even when there's no setup fee.
Vodafone no longer uses standard ADSL, which has a lower speed. Instead, Vodafone focuses on providing broadband connections powered by fibre optics.
The first connection was Vodafone Superfast 1, which had 35Mbps for its download speed and 10Mbps for its upload speed. However, with the new Superfast 2, speed is rarely the problem.
Your download speed with the Vodafone Superfast 2 broadband connection is 63Mbps. On the other hand, the upload speed is about 20Mbps — which is extremely high compared to other broadband providers.
If you have a large family with many people sharing a broadband connection, you won’t have a problem using the Vodafone Superfast 2. With Vodafone Superfast 2, you'll have no download limits.
Likewise, you don’t have to worry about traffic management. Instead, you and your family can rest assured of an unlimited and uninterrupted internet connection with Vodafone.
A router is part of the installation kit for the Vodafone Superfast 2 broadband connection. The router has a strong WiFi updated to the latest technologies possible.
It also has an ethernet port that runs at 1Gbps. Therefore, when you connect with your personal computer, you'll also enjoy fast speed.
For many broadband connection providers with no setup fees in the UK, the best deals usually have costly prices. But Vodafone Superfast 2 is surprisingly affordable for the average internet user in the UK.
The cost for a Vodafone Superfast 2 subscription is only £21.50 every month. You can always subscribe to the Vodafone Pro subscription on the Superfast 2.
With the Pro subscription, you have the same speed as Superfast 2, but there's a backup plan. If (in an almost impossible scenario) your broadband connection goes off, the Pro subscription will automatically take up a 4G connection to keep you surfing the internet.
Pros
You can call any UK landlines and phones for £8
No initial cost
Accommodates many users without affecting speed
Affordable pricing when compared to other fibre optic broadband services
Cons
The fee doesn't cover phone lines.
John Lewis Fibre Broadband
Although the John Lewis Fibre Broadband may not be the most popular in the UK, it provides one of the best broadband deals with no setup fee.
With John Lewis, you have three different packages you can choose for your broadband connection. There's a Fibre extra broadband, Fibre broadband, and an unlimited broadband connection.
The internet speed of each one of the packages is 66Mbps, 36Mbps, and 10Mbps, respectively. Each one of these packages provides you with an unlimited data allowance.
When choosing the John Lewis brand, you should note you'll have to combine the broadband with your phone line. John Lewis doesn't exactly give you the liberty to choose a broadband-only connection.
Although, irrespective of the package you choose, you can call numbers in the UK for free in the evenings and on weekends.
John Lewis cares about your security as much as they care about the speed of your broadband connection. As a result, once you install your John Lewis broadband, you get a free Bullguard antivirus to protect against dangerous websites.
You’ll pay £20 per month for the unlimited connection, while the Fibre will cost you £27.50. Fibre Extra, on the other hand, will cost you more than £30 monthly.
While you automatically have free calls in the evening and weekends, you can still add some call packages to your subscription.
If you pay £5 per month, you get to call any landlines at any time. But if you add £2, you can call any UK landlines and phone up to 35 international destinations for 300 minutes.
John Lewis makes this list of best broadband deals with no setup fees because of their customer-centric approach. They offer a 24/7 customer support team that's ready to help with any technical issues. Also, you can customise your customer email address with the free @johnlewis.com email.
Pros
24/7 customer service
Free calls in the evenings and on weekends
No download limits
Cons
The broadband has a traffic management system which may slow your browsing down
TalkTalk Faster Fibre
Irregular pricing from your broadband connection provider can be extremely frustrating. While having a fast connection is essential, I prefer to pay the same price from the start of a broadband contract till the end.
TalkTalk broadband offers the best deals with no setup fees required to save you the stress of irregular pricing. The TalkTalk broadband has a price freezing feature that keeps the price constant over the contract period.
There are four different options of subscription packages that you can choose from on TalkTalk. You can select the Fibre 65 package for £22 monthly and enjoy up to 67Mbps, or you can select the Fibre 35 package with 36Mbps at the same price.
The other packages include the broadband package with 11Mbps at £24.95 monthly and the Fibre 35+ Amazon tech pack with 38Mbps at £27 monthly.
Your Internet connection with the TalkTalk broadband connection is void of any interruptions. There are no download limits, no traffic management, and other challenges that can slow down your speed.
Furthermore, the router that comes with the Talk Talk Installation has impressive features. It comes with four different ports for ethernet connection, one port for USB connections, AC WiFi, and excellent wireless security.
Pros
Reliable pricing
Guarantee of thirty days for Fibre connections
Zero data limits
Cons
Poor customer support system
EE Fibre Broadband
Most people know EE as a mobile network provider because of its 4G and 5G network. EE offers one of the best broadband deals, and you can sign up with no setup fees.
EE broadband offers its customers different packages, each with an eighteen-month timeline. You have the standard unlimited connection with a 10Mbps speed and Fibre broadband with a speed of 38Mbps.
More Fibre options include Fibre plus, Fibre max 100, Fibre Max 300, and Fibre Max 900 at average speeds of 67Mbps, 100Mbps, 300Mbps, and 900Mbps, respectively.
Because EE Fibre Broadband offers amazing internet connection speeds, it’s easy to assume these privileges will come at an extremely high cost. Surprisingly, the cost of the packages of the EE broadband starts from £23.50.
Unless you're introducing a new broadband connection line or requesting an ultrafast connection, you won’t need to pay extra charges for using EE broadband.
Before now, EE used to manage traffic while surfing, which slows down internet connectivity speeds. But now, EE even offers its users zero limits on data downloads.
Pros
The customer service team is in the UK.
Free 5GB data when you combine the EE broadband and mobile plans.
Secure surfing via Norton premium security.
Cons
Price is a bit on the high side.
Buying Guide for Broadband Deals with No Upfront Fees
I have discussed the best broadband deals with no setup fee you can get in the UK. But you need to understand what you should look out for to make the right choice.
Some of the questions you should ask before choosing a suitable broadband provider in the UK are:
Why Do Broadband Deals Have Upfront Costs?
Upfront Costs are fees paid to cover the installation, router purchase, and delivery of broadband installation.
What UK Broadband Providers Offer Broadband with No Upfront Fees?
The top options include:
TalkTalk
John Lewis
Vodafone
Plusnet
How Much are Broadband Setup Fees in the UK?
You should spend between £20 and £60 if you have a connection line already. But if you don't, you'll spend over £100 on installation.
What are the Downsides of Deals with Free Setup?
Realistically, there are no Downsides to choosing a broadband deal with Free Setup. In most cases, you still get great service.
Do I Need a Phone Line to Avoid Upfront Costs?
No, you don't need a phone line to avoid upfront costs. Zero upfront costs depend totally on the broadband provider.
Can I Get a Phone Plus Broadband Deal with Zero Upfront Fees?
Yes, you can get a broadband and phone connection without an upfront fee
Can I Get Fibre Broadband without Any Upfront Fee?
Yes, you can get Fibre broadband with no upfront fee, as discussed in this article.
Can I Get Broadband and TV Deals with Zero Upfront Fee?
Yes, you can get a broadband and TV deal with no upfront fee.
Can I Get Free Installation with no Credit Check?
Yes, you can get free installation without a credit check.
What about Broadband with Free Gifts?
Some broadband offers their users and new users gifts from time to time. The gifts are mostly a way to retain existing users and attract new users.
Final Take
If you thought there were no broadband connections with no setup fee, the information in this guide should have convinced you. I have discussed the best deals for broadband connections with no setup fees.
You can also go through the buying guide section to choose an ideal choice that suits your use. While making your choice, remember that cheap doesn't always mean the best, and expensive doesn't guarantee quality. Good luck!